diff --git a/packages/lib/link/messages.js b/packages/lib/link/messages.js
index 1eb28116..4e558ab6 100644
--- a/packages/lib/link/messages.js
+++ b/packages/lib/link/messages.js
@@ -207,12 +207,13 @@ class Request extends Message {
 						response = {};
 					}
 
-					if (!this._responseValidator({ seq: 0, type: this.responseType, response })) {
+					let data = { ...response, seq: message.seq };
+					if (!this._responseValidator({ seq: 0, type: this.responseType, data })) {
 						logger.error(JSON.stringify(this._responseValidator.errors, null, 4));
 						throw new Error(`Validation failed responding to ${this.requestType}`);
 					}
 
-					link.connector.send(this.responseType, { ...response, seq: message.seq });
+					link.connector.send(this.responseType, data);
 
 				}).catch(err => {
 					if (!(err instanceof libErrors.RequestError)) {
diff --git a/test/lib/link/messages.js b/test/lib/link/messages.js
index 62342e94..97ad641e 100644
--- a/test/lib/link/messages.js
+++ b/test/lib/link/messages.js
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ describe("lib/link/messages", function() {
 			requestProperties: {
 				"test": { type: "string" },
 			},
+			responseProperties: {
+				"test": { type: "string" },
+			},
 		});
 
 		describe("constructor", function() {
@@ -63,7 +66,24 @@ describe("lib/link/messages", function() {
 				});
 			});
 			it("should implicitly send an empty object on empty return", async function() {
-				handlerResult = undefined;
+				let emptyRequest = new libLink.Request({
+					type: "empty",
+					links: ["source-target"],
+				});
+				emptyRequest.attach(testTargetLink, async(message) => {});
+				testTargetLink._handlers.get("empty_request")({ seq: 2 });
+				let result = await new Promise(resolve => {
+					testTargetLink.connector.send = (type, data) => resolve({ type, data });
+				});
+				assert.deepEqual(result, {
+					type: "empty_response",
+					data: {
+						seq: 2,
+					},
+				});
+			});
+			it("should validate response from handler", async function() {
+				handlerResult = { test: 12 };
 				testTargetLink._handlers.get("test_request")({ seq: 2 });
 				let result = await new Promise(resolve => {
 					testTargetLink.connector.send = (type, data) => resolve({ type, data });
@@ -71,6 +91,7 @@ describe("lib/link/messages", function() {
 				assert.deepEqual(result, {
 					type: "test_response",
 					data: {
+						error: "Validation failed responding to test_request",
 						seq: 2,
 					},
 				});